In order to obtain true portability in micro-computers and workstations, battery powered operation is essential. Moreover, given the capacity versus size limitations of known batteries, it is essential to minimize total power consumption in order to extend the operating life of the batteries.
It is relatively easy to reduce battery consumption by an initial 60 to 70 percent in the computer portion of a mobile station. This initial savings can be accomplished by simply turning selected pieces of hardware in the computer portion off when they are not being used. The last 30 to 40 percent savings in the computer portion becomes increasingly more difficult to achieve, while simultaneously becoming increasingly more valuable in terms of extending battery life. This is due to the inverse relationship between battery life and battery load. Accordingly, savings that would seem trivial in off-line applications, might be momentous in a battery powered environment.
While the above is directed to the computer portion, to date no work has been done relative to the wireless link adapter portion of the mobile station.
There has been recent work directed to the design of multiaccess protocols for portable mobile computer users, as well as movable boundary protocols for supporting integrated voice/data users in mobile indoor radio networks. The schemes proposed to date do not take into explicit account the effective conservation of battery power used by the multiaccess scheme relative to the wireless link adapter.
Since portable laptop computers run on battery power, the implementation of a multiaccess protocol described in this invention attempts to minimize the consumption of battery power in a wireless link adapter to the minimum amount required, as a function of the protocol.
According to this invention, several techniques are disclosed for minimizing the battery power wasted at the wireless link adapters of mobile units, as controlled by a multiaccess protocol for wireless communication.